Hebrew word · H7644

שֶׁבְנָא

shevna'

Shebna

Appears 9 times in 9 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.18.18; also called Shebnah at 2Ki.18.18,26;

§ Shebna = "vigour"

a person of high position in the court of king Hezekiah of Judah; subsequently the secretary of Hezekiah

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

Where it appears

2 Kings · 4
  1. 2 Kings 18:18 וְשֶׁבְנָה֙ and Shebna

    Then they called for the king. And Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebnah the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, went out to them.

    Here: Probably a shortened form of a name like Shebanyahu. In Isaiah 22:15 he is the one 'over the house' and is condemned. Here he holds the lower post of secretary.

  2. 2 Kings 18:26 וְשֶׁבְנָ֨ה and Shebna

    Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, along with Shebnah and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Do not speak with us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”

    Here: The royal “scribe” or secretary of state (18:18). Probably the same Shebna whom Isaiah 22:15–25 condemns and says Eliakim will replace as chief minister; here he already ranks below Eliakim.

  3. 2 Kings 18:37 וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א and Shebna

    Then Hilkiah’s son Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Asaph’s son Joah the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they relayed to him the words of the Rabshakeh.

    Here: "And Shebna." The name is probably a short form of something like Shebanyahu. Isaiah 22:15–25 names a Shebna as "over the house" and announces that Eliakim will replace him. Here Shebna is the scribe and Eliakim holds that office.

  4. 2 Kings 19:2 וְשֶׁבְנָ֣א and Shebna

    And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz

Isaiah · 5
  1. Isaiah 22:15 שֶׁבְנָ֖א Shebna

    This is what the Lord GOD of Hosts says: “Go, say to Shebna, the steward in charge of the palace:

    Here: The official's name, given with no father's name or family line. That fits v.16's taunt 'who do you have here?', as if he has no roots in Jerusalem. The name may be a short form of Shebanyahu.

  2. Isaiah 36:3 וְשֶׁבְנָא֙ and Shebna

    Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, went out to him.

    Here: In Isaiah 22:15 Shebna held the top office himself. Here he comes second, as scribe, which suggests the demotion Isaiah foretold has at least begun.

  3. Isaiah 36:11 וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א and Shebna

    Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”

  4. Isaiah 36:22 וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א and Shebna

    Then Hilkiah’s son Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Asaph’s son Joah the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they relayed to him the words of the Rabshakeh.

    Here: "And Shebna": a short form of a name probably ending in -yahu. In Isaiah 22:15 a Shebna holds the office "over the house"; here he is listed as scribe, below Eliakim.

  5. Isaiah 37:2 שֶׁבְנָ֣א Shebna

    And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.